Rio de Janeiro, Brazil – Botafogo go start dem defense of di Campeonato Brasileiro title dis Sunday, March 30. Di current champions go face Palmeiras for Allianz Parque at 4 p.m. (Brasília time) as dem dey look for di first three points for dis season.
Di team dey come into dis match with motivation after a long preparation period. Dem hope say dem fit repeat di successful campaign from last year to achieve back-to-back titles.
Igor Jesus, di striker for Botafogo, don talk about di high expectations for di opening match. In an interview with di “ge” portal, he remember di moment wey he score against Palmeiras during di quarter-finals of di 2024 Libertadores. “Di most beautiful and important goal was against Palmeiras. We sabi say e go hard because of di quality of di Palmeiras team, especially for a Libertadores game. This one fit make history if we pass di phase,” he talk.
Since e join Botafogo, Igor don score nine goals from 39 matches. He also explain how he take score dat particular goal. “I did a body fake on di defender, ran behind him, and finished perfectly. Dat na one of di most important goals for me because e represent eternal glory,” he conclude.
Dis season, Botafogo don start below expectations after participating in two finals but end up with two second-place finishes. Dem lose to Flamengo for di Supercopa do Brasil and to Racing-ARG for di Recopa Sul-Americana. Di pressure don mount for di team to perform well in di Brasileirão and Libertadores.
Di game against Palmeiras go open a series of crucial matches for Botafogo. Aside from contending with Palmeiras, dem get fixture against Universidad de Chile on Tuesday, April 2, in Santiago for di second round of group stage.
For dis highly anticipated clash on March 30 at 4 p.m. (Brasília time), di pressure dey on Palmeiras as dem loss to a rival in di recent Paulistão final, with Leila Pereira’s administration marked by one year without titles. Meanwhile, dis go be Botafogo’s first official match since February 27, when dem lose 2-0 to Racing in di return leg of di Libertadores.
Di Allianz Parque fit host up to 43,713 spectators, with much expectation for a full house despite di recent disappointment in di state championship. Globo and Premiere channels go air di match live.
Di historical record of matches between Palmeiras and Botafogo show dat out of 107 games, Palmeiras get a slight edge with 40 wins, while Botafogo don win 33 times, and di remaining 34 matches end in draws.
As di teams prepare for dis clash, Palmeiras likely go stick with di same lineup from di last game, possibly bringing back Maurício and havin Paulinho and Gustavo Gómez as options while Marcos Rocha go miss di match due to injury.
Botafogo main excitement go be di return of Bastos in di defense alongside Alexander Barboza, while Marçal dey expected to play after regularization on di CBF BID. Danilo Barbosa go be di only absentee as he continue recovery from injury.
